Over the last few years, I\u2019ve noticed more people opening up about their attention struggles. For some, it\u2019s relatively mild, manifesting as difficulty staying on track, more procrastination than is usual, or constantly feeling \u201cscattered.\u201d For others, it\u2019s more significant and leads to a diagnosis of ADHD. At Flinders, we\u2019ve seen this reflected in the significant popularity of the ADHD support group<\/a> and the formation of the Neurodiversity Community Program<\/a> (which includes ADHD). And in the wider world, there\u2019s been a surge of discussion, articles, and personal reflections about how our attention is being stretched thin. Attention was even the topic of a recent tip sheet I created<\/a>.<\/p>\n Two pieces I read this weekend (20th September) that particularly stood out are worth sharing.<\/p>\n The second, from Psyche<\/a>, argues that we may be talking about more than one kind of ADHD, or attention dysregulation more broadly. It suggests two distinct forms. Type I is the \u201cclassic\u201d neurodevelopmental version, present from early life, often highly genetic, and typically responsive to medication plus structure. Type II is more environmentally driven, emerging in the age of screens, constant alerts, and fragmented digital habits. This type may be less responsive to medication but more helped by lifestyle and behavioural changes such as reducing digital overload and reshaping how we interact with technology. Read here.<\/a><\/p>\n The second article, in particular, resonated with me as I don’t think I had any attention issues as a child, but I can certainly see, how over the years, my attention has taken a hammering from the digital environment in which I live, the constant news cycles, the unending information flows you can tap into, and the expectation of being always ‘on’ and connected with what is happening. It doesn’t surprise me at all, the idea that ADHD could be an internal manifestation of the chaotic nature of the modern world. So much so that for my upcoming monthly challenges (I try to improve myself 1 month at a time), I will be focusing on activities to restore my attention capacity (meditation, digital restrictions, book reading).<\/p>\n If you want to join me, here are some of the attention training processes described in the two articles.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Visual focus muscle<\/strong><\/p>\n Practise zooming in on a single task or object.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Experiment with narrowing or widening your focus (e.g. blocking out distractions to work on one thing; or scanning more broadly to notice connections).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Use visualisation (e.g. imagining goals as closer or more tangible to increase motivation).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n Temporal connection muscle<\/strong><\/p>\n Connect present actions with long-term goals or your \u201cfuture self.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Use mental imagery of what success will look and feel like.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Ask: How does this task serve the person I want to become?<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n Obstacle-processing muscle<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/71\/2025\/09\/Screenshot_22-9-2025_12516_bigthink.com_-150x150.jpeg\")
<\/a>The first, from Big Think<\/a>, explored why attention feels so fragile in modern life. It\u2019s not just about \u201cbad habits\u201d. Our environment is designed to scatter us, with notifications, endless tasks, and competing demands. But here\u2019s the good news: attention isn\u2019t fixed. Think of it as a set of muscles you can train. The article describes four such \u201cattention muscles\u201d: visual focus (the ability to zoom in or out on what matters), temporal connection (linking what you\u2019re doing now to your future goals), obstacle-processing (anticipating distractions or setbacks and planning for them), and cognitive flexibility (switching between different mental modes to keep the mind fresh). The implication is that by deliberately exercising these muscles, through habits, planning, and environment design, you can strengthen your ability to focus. Read here.<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/71\/2025\/09\/Screenshot_22-9-2025_12449_psyche.co_-150x150.jpeg\")
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<\/p>\nFrom Big Think<\/em><\/a> (attention \u201cmuscles\u201d)<\/h3>\n
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